Combined electric switch and electric fuse



F. W. ERICKSON.

COMBINED ELECTRIC S WHCH AND ELECTRIC FUSE. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. I I, 1920.

1,414,01 1, Patented Apr. 25, 1 922.

INVENTOR ,UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERIC WM. ERICKSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

COMBINED ELECTRIC SWITCII ANDEL'ECTRIC FUSE.

'To all whom it may concern; v 1 :Beit known that I, Fnnnnnro \VM. Enron- SON, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have in vented certain Improvements in Combined Electric Switches and Electric Fuses, of

whichthe following is'a specification.

ThlS inventlon relatesto electric switches employed in high tension circuits such as electric power and light circuits, and refers particularly to'such switches having a fusiarm andthen a pull will entirely disconnect the arm to enable a fresh fuse to be substituted for a blown one.

Further objects of the invention are to provide a combined switch and fuse so con- 1 structed that when it is to here-fused the member which is to receive the fresh fuse will remain in 'asafe predetermined position, and to provide such a devicewhich can be economically manufactured. V

lVith the above objects in view the invention consists in the construction and combination of parts substantially as hereinafter described and claimed. s

In the drawing forming a part of this specification, I y

Figure l is a side viewof'the combined fuse and switch attached to an insulating support or back, dotted lines indicating the position of the switch arm when thrown and ready for a fresh fuse to be'substituted for a blown one.

Figure 2 is a perspective view, of a'standard electric fuse.

Figures 3 and 4 are sectional views of the parts which hold the upper end'of the fuse and form the upper part of the switch arm.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the same, omitting the handle. v

Figure 6 is an elevation of some of the parts shown in Figure 1 looking from the left of that figure. and showing the side leaves of the upper grip or jaw in section.

Figures 7, 8 and 9 are, respectively, front. top, and side views of the trunnioned socket for the lowerend of the standard fuse;

Specification ofLetters Patent. Patented Application filed September 11; 1920. Serial No. 409,586.

Apr. 25, 1922.

Similar reference characters indicate si'mi: H

lar parts in all of the views.

An intermediate part of the switch arm 7 consists solely of the fuse which,las illustrated, is preferably of the standard type having an insulating cylinder or'shell 1 provided with metal caps or terminals 2, 8, the

fuse strip or wire being indicated in Figv ure 2 at 4. p

Secured to asuitable base by screws 17 are a lower jaw or equivalent support 12 for the trunnioned socket l4, and an upper'jaw 13. Binding plates for the circuit wires are indicatedat 16, said plates being secured by screws l8.

The socket 141- is formed with resilient sides as by'providing cuts 15 therein, and it is formed with trunnions 20 mounted in holes 19 in the sides of the lower jaw 12. It

is also provided with ridges or ribs 25 the purpose of wvhich will be presently explained.

The diameter of the socketv 14 is such as to receive one end cap of the fuse snugly, preferablyfwith'a friction fit. To firmly grip or :clamp the other end of the fuse and, coact therewithand with the socket 14 in forming a switcharm, I provide a d1v1ded housing consisting of semi tubular grip members 9,

10, having inwardly'bent lips 11 at their lower edges and having tapering upper portionsterminating in straight tips or fingers which are firmly embedded at 6' in ahandle 5 of suitable insulating material. 7 The con: nection with the handle is such thatthe menr bersl), 10. tend to open or spring apart as indicated in Figure 4 when permitted to do so. Within the handle and surrounding the upper portions of the members 9, 10, is an ii'iternallv threaded thii'nble 7. A nut- 8 also surrounds the upper portions of the mem bers 9, 10, and has a milled portion tobe graspedby the users fingers and an externally threaded portion engaging the internal threads of thefth-imble'l'. By operating the nut toward the position indicated in Figures 3 and 6 the members 9 and 10 can be closed so tightly over one ofthe end'caps of thefuse as to firmly grip it and hold the fuse rigidly. Therefore, when the parts are assembled asin Figure 1,the pivoted or trun nion socket and the fuse and the clamp with its handle constitute a single switch arm of which the fuse forms the intermediate part. When the said arm occupies the position shown by the full lines in Figure 1, a circult is completed through the jaws 12, 13, which circuit is broken by throwing the switch open to a position such as indicated by the dotted lines in that figure.

If the fuse has blown, the user will continue the outward swinging movement so as to exert a pull to remove the lower end of he fuse (or its lower cap) from the socket, such movement as a whole being a compound one which enables the user to very quickly shift the fuse and its clamped handle to position removed from the jaws preparatory to operating the screw or nut 8 to release the blown fuse.

When a fresh fuse has been gripped by the housing 9, 10, all that is necessary to restore the parts to operative condition is to push the lower end of the fuse into the socket and swing-the arm hack to the position shown by full lines in Figure 1. To facilitate such re-assembling of the parts, I provide for holding the socket in a predetermined tilted or angular or inclined position ready for the insertion of the lower end of the fuse thereinto. To this end the inner faces of the jaw members 12 have inclined grooves 22 which may be formed byv the die employed when the said members are struck up from sheet metal. vVhen the switch arm is swung out, the ribs or ridges 25 of the socket interlock with the grooves 22 of the lower aw members. If the outward swing is effected only for the purpose of breaking the circuit, the interlocking described serves to hold the switch arm in position such as indicated by the dotted lines in Figure 1. If the fuse is then pulled out of the socket 14, said socket remains in a convenient predeterniincd' position for the insertion thereinto of a fresh fuse end.

I do not limit myself to the employment of aw members 12 and 13 as the circuit terminals which are to be joined or bridged by the switch arm, as any mechanical equivalents which will serve the purpose of pivotallv supporting the socket and of holding the upper end of the arm in circuit-closing position may be substituted for jaws without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention.

Having now described my invention, I claim: p

1. In a device of the character described, a. switch armcomprising a socket, a fuse having a friction lit therein, and a handle dctachably connected with the other end of the fuse.

2. A combined electric switch and fuse having a switch arm comprising a socket, a fuse having a friction fit therein, and a handle detachably connected with the other end of the fuse, means for pivotally supporting the socket, and means for holding the socket in predetermined inclined position when the arm is in circuit-breaking po sition.

3. A combined electric switch and fuse comprising a pair of circuit terminals, a fuse raving a metal ferrule at each end, means for separably and pivotally connecting one ferrule with one of said terminals, a clamp embracing the other ferrule, and a handle connected with said clamp, said clamp being in posit-ion to coact with the other terminal to close a circuit.

i. A combined electric switch and fuse comprising a pivoted socket, a fuse member having metal terminals one of which re inovably fits said socket, an insulated handle having a separable clamp connection with the other terminal of the fuse, and. means for engaging said clamp connection to hold the fuse in circuit closing position.

5. A combined electric switch and fuse comprising a pivoted support, a jaw in alinement therewith and insulated therefrom, and a fuse having metal terminals removably connected at one end with said pivoted support and having a handle directly connected with its other end to enable the fuse to be swung to or from the jaw to complete or break a circuit.

6. A switch-mounting for a fuse, comprising a pivoted socket for one end of the fuse, means for holding the other end of the fuse in position to close a circuit, and means co acting with the circuit to hold it and the fuse in predetermined circuit breaking position.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification inthe presence of two subscribing witnesses, this eighth day of September, 1920.

FREDERIG WM. ERTOKSON.

Witnesses:

LEILA H. ERIOKSON, HARRY M. TAYLOR. 

